$2.50/minute

Actually more than that when you add up the day - but the price just to race the Kirkland Crit this evening was pretty hefty considering I only lasted 12 minutes. If you add in the the cost of just the gas for the 2 round trips from Gig Harbor - 208 miles (7.5 gallons o'premium gas, another $30+) - plus the Narrows Bridge tolls ($5.50); the cost more than doubles.

It was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon visiting the M-I-L (who lives up the hill from downtown Kirkland) followed by the family coming down to watch the evening Crit which starts at 7:30. However just prior to 5:30 I walk down to the car to get my kit bag to get ready and discover it MIA. DOH! I left it back at home. Grab my B-I-L as a car pool partner and off we go. Make the round trip in 1:47 and to registration with 12 minutes to spare. Sign the USAC release the wife filled out, hit the can, and out I go to line up.

No warm up - I am so screwed!.

Race starts and I am in the middle of the group of 40+ racers and nearly every corner we hit I'm going backwards in the field. With a crash after the 5th or 6th lap the race splits momentarily behind me and slows slightly - phew! As I try to catch my breath and the rear group rejoins the pace again quickens and I'm once again drifting. I feel no effect of drafting the racers ahead of me - and I cannot accelerate to close any gaps, let alone on the very slight uphill section. I decide that it's not worth the effort to stay in the race and (with my sorry tail between my legs) pull out with 63 minutes remaining.

As I roll up to the family cheering section I notice that I'm wheezing like I just smoked a carton (which even as I write this I still notice), though I'm barely breaking a sweat. At my age the lack of a good warm up is a big hit to the system. I may be able to get away with it in a road race if the pace isn't too hard for the first half hour, but in a Crit where the racing is right from the get go I can't fake it. Coupled with the fact that my training is down to once or perhaps twice a week if I'm lucky; but even then I should've been able to at least hang with the main field.

So it was a still a good night to spend spectating as teamie Shawn Ongers was in the group of 6 that lapped the rest of the field, and AJ spent a lot of time & energy trying to go away solo. Teamies Chad & Alec also were DNF's. Congrats to Tubbs for the win, as Shawn took a spill in the last turn wiping out any chance for any finish line sprint drama. Not a great night to the Gin Optics boys (though Shawn took the Gear Push TT earlier in the day so not a total waste of a trip from WW).

Though I do have one sliver of satisfaction knowing that I was not responsible for any crashes or involved in any either was a definite plus, as well as not being the first guy to call it quits was a bonus as well.

I think that'll do it for '08 season, see ya all out racing next year.......